


Stages Of Love

by TsundereShipper



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket (Anime 2019), Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dorks in Love, F/M, Mutual Pining, Names, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:47:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21962317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsundereShipper/pseuds/TsundereShipper
Summary: "The first time you heard her name you were piqued with curiosity..."Or, the various stages in which Kyo heard her name.Written for The Fruits Basket Secret Santa 2019
Relationships: Honda Tohru/Sohma Kyou
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52





	Stages Of Love

_\--_

_‘Tohru Honda...’_  
  
The first time you heard her name you were piqued with curiosity. A young boy of only six, still weary of the ways of the world yet also it’s only scapegoat.  
  
You were too young to identify the feelings she awakened within you, but you knew you felt _something_ as the girl’s mother, Miss Sunshine herself (too warm and real and bursting with love to be a mother) held up a picture of her, quote “greatest treasure.”  
  
There she was, all smiles and adorable Pom-Poms just as her mother said and yet… Beneath the fair façade (Her smile was too big, too _fake_ ) you sensed a twinge of loneliness from her (the same type of loneliness you were born in )  
  
Kyoko Honda was the Sun and Tohru Honda was simply orbiting around her.  
  
You didn’t know why but at that time you thought it made her so vulnerable, so stupid!  
  
And yet so deserving of _love_.

\--  
  


The second time you heard her name was from your cousin’s lips and this time you were filled with fear and dread.  
  
Tohru Honda no longer represented someone who you felt the urge to protect but of all the mistakes of your past, the remnants of the shadow of Kyoko Honda’s existence.  
  
(Of your _true form_ )  
  
And so to assuage your guilt like the foolish boy you were you ran!  
  
And Ran…  
  
…And Ran  
  
Until even you could not resist her charms (her dazzling smile, the way she fell head over heels over herself selflessly taking care of everyone yet never allowing anyone to take care of _her_ ), as she somehow managed to slip through your prickly and impenetrable defenses and soon enough, were falling for her just like everyone else (but differently.)  
  
You found you still wanted to keep your promise.  
  
\--  
The third time her name finally came from _your_ lips rather than someone else’s mouth.  
  
After witnessing your true self you had thought to push her away, to protect her from the fate everyone else who had ever gotten close to you had suffered (your mother, _her_ mother…!)  
  
To Disillusion her.  
  
Yet upon hearing that selfish desperation in her voice, of knowing that she _wanted_ you to stay despite your monstrous self, that this wasn’t pity but one of her own selfish whims (of the little she had) you couldn’t help but give in to your own selfish desires (to your dismay).  
  
For the first time in your life someone else wanted you, _needed_ you!  
  
Your heart soared.  
  
 _“…Tohru, Tohru… Tohru!”  
  
_ Why were you never able to see it before? Her hair, her eyes, her teeth, her limbs, the curve of her breasts, her ability to keep giving and giving and believing the best in humanity whilst hurting herself, everything that she was made up the precious being to be cherished that was Tohru Honda - no, _Tohru  
  
_ As her name spilled from your lips over and over within your embrace (who would have thought a human’s touch could be so _warm_ ) you were finally able to see her as just that. “Tohru” – minus the Honda suffix attached and all the stains that name encompassed.  
  
That was when you fell in love.

\--

The fourth time her name came from venomous lips, her beautiful name spat out with a vengeance you were all too familiar with when speaking about a certain Rat. (you were the family scapegoat and he was your own personal scapegoat)  
  
Your heart practically broke when you were forced to deny your love for her, even - God Forbid - having to feign hatred!  
  
(It was the hardest thing you had to do in your life)  
  
Still it was for her protection, always for her protection. Right then and there you made a vow in your heart that for as much time as you had left as a free man you would dedicate it to watching over her (It was all you deserved.)  
  
This was your penance.

\--

The fifth time no names were uttered, only confessions. Hearts were laid bare and secrets unveiled as your worst fear materialized in reality and you discovered the feelings were mutual.

Faced with the prospect of staring your guilt right in the face this time you pushed her away for real.  
  
Because you were still a little boy, too scared to grow up and face the full extent of your crimes.  
  
As she ran off with the rare (yet precious) show of anger in her eyes you felt like you had been the Disillusioned one here.  
  
Your one regret is that you weren’t able to taste her name on your lips one last time.  
  
\--  
The sixth time you were finally able to taste her lips for real and you found it tasted better than any name ever could!  
  
Too bad it came as a result of your worst nightmare. (you _failed_ her, just as you failed her mother and your mother!)  
  
You didn’t expect to be forgiven (much less your feelings to still be returned) you knew you fucked up. But you still wanted to make amends and finally face up to your feelings (your _desire_ )  
  
Yet in a rare role reversal you found yourself chasing _her_.  
  
It was time to stop running.

\--  
  
You should’ve known, she wouldn’t be deterred, stubborn as a bull that one! (Just like her mother, like her _father_ ) She felt what she felt and she was more confident in her feelings than ever before much to your relief!  
  
As you held her in your arms, fully human and uncursed for the first time in your life, you couldn’t help chanting her name in indulgence.  
  
There in her embrace, it felt like your own _personal_ curse had been lifted.

\--

It would be many years later, when you both turned old and grey that you finally got comfortable enough to utter her name as many times as you wanted.  
  
Who knew such a simple thing such as a name could taste so sweet?  
  
Your three kids liked to tease you, how Dad was absolutely wrapped around Mom’s finger. (Well 2 of them, Hajime it seemed would just grumble in embarrassment about impropriety like in your youth)

They would be right.  
  
As you walked through the garden with Tohru hand in hand all wrinkly and crippled yet still beaming with love, you could finally, honestly say it has been a good life.  
  
 _“Let’s walk together, hand in hand, through the happy times and the sad times…  
  
And Pile On The Years  
  
 **Tohru**.”_


End file.
